Oct.31 (GMM) Red Bull needs Pierre Gasly to lead the Alpha Tauri team from the cockpit, according to Dr Helmut Marko. Although already signed up for 2021, Frenchman Gasly expressed surprise that he was never in contention to replace Alex Albon at Red Bull Racing next year. “I’m not disappointed, at most I’m a little […]
No room in F1 for entire Ferrari rookie trio – Binotto
Oct.31 (GMM) Only one of the trio of top Ferrari ‘academy’ rookies will make it into Formula 1 next year. Earlier, it was believed that Mick Schumacher might replace Antonio Giovinazzi at Alfa Romeo while Callum Ilott and Robert Shwartzman move to Haas. However, Alfa Romeo is keeping its full 2020 lineup next year while […]
Russell staying at Williams in 2021
Oct.31 (GMM) George Russell is staying at Williams next year, contrary to speculation that interim team boss Simon Roberts was flirting with Sergio Perez and his Mexican backers for 2021. “George and Nicholas (Latifi) will remain our drivers in 2021,” Roberts clarified at Imola on Friday. “That was always the plan and it remains the […]
Wolff looking for new Mercedes team boss
Oct.31 (GMM) Toto Wolff has admitted he is on the hunt for a new team principal for Mercedes. While insisting that he will remain connected to the team beyond 2020, the Austrian has also hinted repeatedly that his hands-on role at all the races could change. “I can’t say whether it will be one year, […]
Verstappen repeats Hulkenberg preference for 2021
Oct.31 (GMM) Max Verstappen has repeated his view that Nico Hulkenberg would be a good teammate for him at Red Bull next year. The team admits that the struggling Alex Albon is not yet confirmed for 2021, and that Red Bull outsiders Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez are in the running. “I get on well with […]
Schumacher at Haas would be ‘an honour’ – Steiner
Oct.31 (GMM) Signing Mick Schumacher for 2021 would be “an honour”, Haas boss Gunther Steiner has admitted. Having already told Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean that they will not be retained for 2021, it is the clearest sign yet that Schumacher will fill one of the vacated cockpits. Steiner told RTL that Haas is “on […]
Racing Point blocked Abu Dhabi test for Alonso
Oct.31 (GMM) Racing Point vetoed Fernando Alonso’s participation in the end of season ‘young driver test’ in Abu Dhabi. Spaniard Alonso, to return to Formula 1 as Renault becomes Alpine for 2021, made his debut in the 2020 car recently for a 100km ‘filming day’ in Barcelona. He is trackside this weekend at Imola. “I’m […]
Magnussen admits Red Bull seat ‘not likely’
Oct.31 (GMM) Haas’ current F1 drivers do not sound keen on the idea of remaining in Formula 1 next year by becoming reserve drivers. Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen have both been ousted for 2021, with the team tipped to shortly reveal an all-rookie lineup of Mick Schumacher alongside Nikita Mazepin. “I don’t have any […]
Modern F1 circuit design ‘a shame’ – Zaffelli
Oct.31 (GMM) Jarno Zaffelli, a circuit designer involved in the modern version of Imola, says the current direction of Formula 1 track design is “a shame”. It took the corona crisis to bring circuits like Mugello, Portimao, Istanbul and Imola back to the 2020 calendar. Zaffelli told La Repubblica that the situation has put into […]
Imola wants to stay on F1 calendar for ‘next few years’
Oct.30 (GMM) Imola wants to stay on the Formula 1 calendar beyond 2020. Alongside other popular replacement venues including Mugello, Portimao and Istanbul, Imola was drafted onto the sport’s ‘corona calendar’ at the eleventh hour. But Andrea Corsini, the tourism chief for the regional Emilia-Romagna jurisdiction, said Imola would like to stay on the calendar […]
Melbourne confirms ‘covid-safe’ 2021 season opener
Oct.30 (GMM) Organisers of the Australian GP have confirmed that Melbourne will kick off the 2021 season. The news follows rumours that with the Victorian capital still on high alert as a city-wide covid lockdown begins to ease, Bahrain could take over as the first Formula 1 race of next year. “We are pleased to […]
Vettel in ‘dangerous’ Ferrari situation – Schumacher
Oct.30 (GMM) Sebastian Vettel may be playing a “dangerous” game as his relationship with Ferrari enters the final stretch. After Portugal, following comments made by the struggling quadruple world champion, team boss Mattia Binotto had to deny that Vettel is being supplied inferior machinery compared to his teammate Charles Leclerc. “I think Binotto is handling […]
Alonso relationship ‘working well’ – Prost
Oct.30 (GMM) Fernando Alonso’s new relationship with Renault is already “working well”, according to F1 legend and team advisor Alain Prost. Spaniard Alonso, 39, is returning to the sport and the team as it becomes Alpine for 2021, but he will be trackside this weekend at Imola. Prost says the working relationship with Alonso began […]
Team founder says Alfa Romeo should keep Raikkonen
Oct.30 (GMM) Alfa Romeo’s F1 team founder is urging the Swiss outfit to keep Kimi Raikkonen for 2021. On Thursday, the Hinwil based team announced that Sauber Motorsport has extended its naming rights deal with the Ferrari-linked carmaker Alfa Romeo “until at least the end of the current era of Formula 1 regulations”. The next […]
Haas hints at Ferrari engine overheating
Oct.30 (GMM) Gunther Steiner has hinted that a major problem with Ferrari’s struggling 2020 engine relates to overheating. Departing Haas driver Romain Grosjean told L’Equipe recently that the Maranello-made power unit “is not great”. He said after Portimao: “Since the start of the weekend we have had problems with the suspension. The car keeps changing […]
Williams driver decision is ‘commercial’ – Wolff
Oct.30 (GMM) George Russell’s future is only in doubt because of “political and commercial” considerations at Williams. That is the claim of Toto Wolff, who oversees Russell’s career as part of the Mercedes driver program. Recently, reports indicated that despite his impressive performance at Williams in 2019 and 2020, the British team’s new owners could […]
Hamilton, Wolff futures to be decided this year
Oct.30 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has reassured his fans that he will remain in Formula 1 next year – even though he is yet sign a contract. The reasons for the delay are not clear, with theories ranging from Hamilton’s demands for a pay increase to complex questions about the future of the Mercedes team and […]
Marko denies trying to ‘blackmail’ Todt over engines
Oct.30 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has denied Jean Todt’s charge that he is trying to “blackmail” the FIA president over his demands regarding Red Bull’s engine decision for 2022. Red Bull has threatened to quit Formula 1 if it cannot take over the departing Honda’s engine program, insisting it will require a 2022 development ‘freeze’. […]
Hamilton’s political power surprises Ecclestone
Oct.29 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone is surprised about the success of Lewis Hamilton’s political influence at Mercedes. Earlier in 2020, the former F1 supremo was criticised by Hamilton, who said comments made by the 90-year-old about racism were “uneducated and ignorant”. “Don’t think about what your skin colour is – think about what colour your mind […]
Ecclestone tells Red Bull to sign Hulkenberg
Oct.29 (GMM) Half of Red Bull’s Formula 1 driver lineups for 2020 remain uncertain. Max Verstappen is certainly leading the top team, while the energy drink company announced on Wednesday that Pierre Gasly is definitely staying at Alpha Tauri next year. The identity of Gasly’s teammate is not clear, however. Daniil Kvyat looks likely to […]